This invention is directed to an absorbent garment, such as a training pant, swimsuit, diaper, incontinence garment or similar absorbent vehicle, which has a leak guard between the absorbent midsection and the edges of the garment. The leak guard is provided without separately attached side flaps, by extending the outer cover beyond the absorbent midsection and to the edges which contact the legs, and by incorporating elastic into the garment edges adjacent to the legs.
Disposable absorbent garments having a pant-like configuration are used for child training pants, adult incontinence garments, diapers, swimsuits and the like. Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art pant-like absorbent garment 2 includes a waste containment section 4 and two side portions 6 and 8 defining a waist opening 10 and a pair of leg openings 12 and 14. The side panel 6 includes stretchable panels 18 and 20 joined together at seam 30. The side panel 8 includes stretchable panels 24 and 26 joined together at seam 33. Seams 30 and 33 extend longitudinally from the waist opening 10 to the leg openings 12 and 14 of the garment 2.
The waste containment section 4 includes multiple layers (not shown) including, for instance, a liquid-permeable inner layer, an absorbent core layer, and a liquid-impermeable outer cover layer 16 which faces away from the wearer. The waste containment section 4 also includes elasticized waist portions 22 on the front and back of the garment. The leg opening portions 12 and 14 also include elastic portions 46 which extend substantially around the portion of the leg openings defined by the waste containment section 4.
The disposable garment also includes leak guards in both leg openings, which help prevent lateral leakage of waste material through the leg openings. The leak guards have commonly been provided by elasticized flap portions 50 which are connected to the interior of the garment along the lower part of each leg opening. During use, the elasticized flap portions 50 fit snugly against the wearer and effectively block most spillage of waste material from the leg openings.
In the past, the flap portions 50 used for the leak guard have required a separate manufacturing step to attach the flap material to the garment. Generally, the flaps 50 have been joined via seams 52. During active use, some separation at the seams 52 can occur, resulting in failure of the flaps 50 to serve as effective leak guards. Providing a seam which is both leakproof and durable has been challenging, and has added to manufacturing costs.
The present invention is directed to a disposable pant-like absorbent garment similar to the one described above, and having leak guards, except that the side flaps and seams required to join them have been eliminated. Instead of using flaps, seamless leak guards are provided by extending the liquid-impermeable outer cover layer substantially beyond the absorbent layer on both sides, and to a higher location on the garment and on the wearer. The outer cover extensions on both sides are reinforced at their edges by elastic bands which pull the outer cover extensions upward and away from the absorbent layer, and against the wearer""s body.
The lateral extensions of the outer cover material, combined with the upward pulling of the elastic bands, provide the garment with seamless leak guards not requiring separately attached flaps. The need and expense of attaching side flaps are thus eliminated. The problem of leakage at the seams joining the flaps to the garment, is also eliminated.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a feature and advantage of the invention to provide a disposable pant-like absorbent garment with effective leak guards at the leg openings, without attaching flaps.
It is also a feature and advantage of the invention to provide a disposable absorbent garment with improved leak guards, by eliminating flap seams.